Richard Pryor Place isn’t just a street but a testament to Peoria’s love-hate relationship with the comedian.

On stage, the Peoria native gave a funny-scary glimpse into an urban world often ignored. For that, Comedy Central named him as the all-time greatest stand-up comedian.

But sometimes he used stark profanity and racial epithets, which many Peorians could not tolerate. Off-stage, he made high-profile bad choices, almost killing himself, and Peoria didn’t like that either.

Still, in the 1990s, this newspaper beat the drum to have a street named after Pryor. City Council balked, waiting until 2001 to allow — by the slimmest of margins, 6-5 — to grant Pryor a tiny slice of a street.

Without fanfare one day in October 2011, public works employees posted Pryor street signs along what formerly was Sheridan Road, from Romeo B. Garrett Avenue to McBean Street, plus one block of Persimmon Street. The total cost: $800.

Nice gesture? Perhaps. Then again, it’s a section of town with relatively low traffic and visibility.

At the time, Pryor’s manager said the comedian was “thrilled” by the gesture. Perhaps. But by then, multiple sclerosis had rendered him a recluse, so we never heard from Pryor directly.

He never returned to Peoria — to see the sign or anything or anyone else — before dying at age 65 in late 2005.

Journal Star staff

3 Comments

I always thought that one of the number streets should have been used, but well who am i.here are 7 of themthey could have used 2nd street. back in 1947 I got my pick up truck on 2nd street at Peoria autobody……

Love/Hate? Was Richard Pryor God? No, he was a human being with human mistakes. He was a comedic genius. How many people can laugh at their pain and make money for it at the same time. Most of us just wallow in our woes and hope someone is there for comforting. I like the way he dealt with his life’s experiences on stage and yes he make a lot of mistakes but he who is without sin is the only one who need to cast stones. Oops! I guess no stones need to be cast because no matter how much some of us may fool the public we all know of our closet skeletons….we are not perfect even though we were made perfect. Richard Pryor is the one human that I wish I had met when he made his many trips to Peoria. One day he will be appreciated for all his good accomplishments.

Love/Hate? Was Richard Pryor God? No, he was a human being with human mistakes. He was a comedic genius. How many people can laugh at their pain and make money for it at the same time. Most of us just wallow in our woes and hope someone is there for comforting. I like the way he dealt with his life’s experiences on stage and yes he made a lot of mistakes but he who is without sin is the only one who need to cast stones. Oops! I guess no stones need to be cast because no matter how much some of us may fool the public we all know of our closet skeletons….we are not perfect even though we were made perfect. Richard Pryor is the one human that I wish I had met when he made his many trips to Peoria. One day he will be appreciated for all his good accomplishments.